I have had this fabric and pattern (McCall’s 6282) paired and sitting in my closet for several months, so this was great motivation to get it done. I knew when I saw this fabric, a black knit with a subtle floral print in a raised texture, sitting on the clearance table at JoAnn’s that it was meant for this pattern.

I loved the lines and shape of the dress, but I didn't exactly follow the pattern. I knew from holding the pattern up that I was going to need to shorten it. I also knew that the gathers, as drafted, would be far too overwhelming on me. So, I used the lining pieces as my base, and added smaller gathers.

My 20 year-old brother, who usually doesn't care about my sewing saw this dress and immediately said it was the nicest thing I've ever made. When I got this fabric, I had thought it would make a casual dress. The consensus is that this pattern/fabric combination made a dress that looks far more expensive than it actually was. Which is great, because I now have an extremely versatile dress that I can wear on a number of different occasions from interviews/work to parties.